Ohio courts knocking down construction-zone enforcement penalties

Newspaper's analysis shows most fines reduced or dismissed for those who go to court; Lt. says officers feel they are being second-guessed by courts, prosecutors

By Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch

COLUMBUS, Ohio — If the news stories and public-service announcements haven't gotten through to you, the police officers pointing radar guns from Downtown overpasses usually get the point across.

Ohio threatens motorists with doubled fines if they're caught speeding through road-construction zones, and the state has handed out more than $400,000 in grants this year to police agencies statewide to beef up enforcement.